And this concept is the brainchild of drummer/pianist Tobias Püschner, formerly of German thrashers Revolt. He is aided by guest musicians and friends Martin Simon (Kambrium) on bass/backing vocals, Fabio Rossi (Tryglav) and Francesco Petrelli on guitars and female vocalist Noga Rotem). And he manages to perfectly meld the frozen, harrowing concept of the story into a fantastic, grandiose, blistering yet darkly atmospheric, symphonic black/death metal album.

The promo states that this is for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Wintersun, and Fleshgod Apocalypse. And that’s pretty spot on, especially the Wintersun part, as there’s a definite Finnish vibe running through the more shredding, blackened power metal riffs, and higher register, rasped vocals.  Also, Püschnerman really flexes his piano training with the songs written exclusively for the piano first, so there is a larger focus on an ivory-based backdrop, rather than more bombastic full-on orchestration (like my other recent symphonic metal discovery, Xaon), though there is some of that as well. Throw in all sorts of somber, clean (sailor-y) choirs and storytelling elements, and the piano-based writing is enveloped in some top-notch other stuff.

Case and point, the second standout track “Icewind”, where the piano is front and center with delicate pacing amid the icy blast beats and climaxes with some angelic haunting vocals from Noga Rotem (who should have been used way more). But it’s not just great piano work, there’s some solid riff penning here as well, as heard on “Sail to the Stars”, and personal favorites  “Married to the Sea” and “The Empress” and “Poem in the Snow” (based on the Robert Frost poem “Once by the Pacific”), which highlights more excellent piano work in its final moments, and “Northlight” which gave me a bit of a Bal Sagoth vibe, and balladic closer “Melancholy” and they have a little restraint and pacing.

On the very minor downside, the production is a bit dry and you’d think a drummer by trade would have a less synthetic drum sound, as they sound very programmed, and the album does tend to get a bit samey with the blast beats. However, The Expedition is still a damn fine debut album and a killer addition to my symphonic metal discoveries in 2022.

Lone original member/founder/primary song writer Fabivs again has a whole new legion surrounding him including bassist Cornelvuis  and vocalist/lyricist Diocletianvs  (both formerly of Suicidal Causticity/ Oredreth), the band’s third vocalist in as many albums. Also producer Stephan Morabito (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour of Penance)  was brought in,  and they all bring a more brutal death metal tone to the proceedings, and that tone is echoed throughout the entire album has much more traditional Italian death metal vibe, if still heavily layered with the band’s traditional Roman/ Hellenic instrumentation and orchestration.

As a result, the band’s sound that has always been compared to Nile, except Roman, is even more Nile sounding, but that’s a good thing, as the band’s mix of technical pummeling death metal and slower, warmongering, militant marches is perfectly executed. And on this album, Egypt and Rome actually collide as the album takes the age of Caesar including interactions with Cleopatra.

After the intro “Forge the Myth” the album gets right to in with ten tracks of solid, near excellent death metal that mixes tight, near brutal death metal with Roman symphonic, choirs and orchestration. The balance is perfect as tracks like regal opener “Empire”, blistering “The Gallic Hour Glass” and “Suppress The Riot” or more controlled numbers like “The Chains of Alesia” or majestic, parade perfect pomp of “Gold Roots of War” stride with , bombastic authoritative, commanding presence, befitting the band’s themes.

The closing trio of “Veni Vidi Vici”, moody “The Blythe Ignorance” (detailing the Ides of March),  and “Imperator” round out the album with 3 strong tracks, resulting in an album that’s better than 2016s Carthago Delenda Est, but not quite as strong as the debut Spartacus and cementing ADE as one of death metal’s new vanguard of excellence.

“Ignavi coram morte quidem animam trahunt, audaces autem illam non saltem advertunt”